Mythical Water Locations

Mythical Water Locations

Read up on some of the most famous and fascinating mythical water locations throughout the world.

Aegean Sea

According to legend, the Aegean Sea was named after king Aegeus of Greece. An oracle predicted that some day Aegeus’s son would be the death of him. Nevertheless, the king entered into a secret marriage covenant, and Theseus was born. The boy did not grow up in Athens, where he was born. Rather, he was kept away until he had grown strong enough to lift a rock under which a special sword and sandals were hidden.

Theseus became a great adventurer and traveled extensively. On one of his trips, he managed to kill the half-man, half-bull Minotaur in the labyrinth of King Minos. When he finally sailed back to Athens, he forgot to replace his black sails with white ones, so that his father would know he was still alive. As a result, in anguish, Aegeus threw himself into the sea, proving the oracle right. Thus the sea acquired its name: the Aegean, after king Aegeus.

Atlantis

The Greek philosopher Plato first mentioned Atlantis as an island that once existed. He said it was a naval power that had conquered parts of Western Europe and Africa. Many years before Plato, a natural disaster had supposedly caused Atlantis to sink into the sea. It was supposed to be located in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean between Africa and America. Throughout the centuries, philosophers have speculated about the existence of Atlantis. Most of these have been rejected, and even parodied. Medieval philosophers forgot about Atlantis entirely; but modern man rediscovered it.

Those who have embraced the existence of Atlantis claim its peoples were a culturally superior race. Some believe they were the predecessors of the modern Aryan race. Still others claim that they had aircraft and ships powered by some form of energy crystal. And some suggest that numerous modern Islands are in fact parts of Atlantis risen up from the ocean.

Avalon

Avalon was a magical island said to have existed off the coast of Britain, and later vanished. It was famous for its beautiful apples. Avalon is included in many stories and legends. It is said to be the island where Jesus and Joseph of Arimathea visited Britain, and so it is placed near Glastonbury and the church there. Arthurian legend states the Lady of the Lake lived in Avalon. In honor of her, King Arthur was buried there following the battle with his son, Mordred.

Another island near the coast of Britain that supposedly disappeared is Lyonesse, and it is often associated with Avalon. Supposedly it was the birthplace of the legendary Tristan, from the legend of Tristan and Isolde.

Bermuda

In the Atlantic Ocean there is a triangle-shaped area between Bermuda, Puerto Rico and Fort Lauderdale, Florida known as the Bermuda Triangle. The area is nearly a million square miles wide, and extends from the Gulf of Mexico to the Caribbean Sea. A series of mysterious disappearances of ships and planes has been associated with it. People claim that, in this area, the laws of physics don’t apply, and it has even been suggested there is extraterrestrial activity there.

Skeptics state that there haven’t been enough disappearances to justify the conclusions, and that most happened before tracking equipment, such as radar and satellite, were even invented. They also claim the number of disappearances is relatively insignificant compared to the number of ships and planes that do pass through the area safely.

There is heavy weather in the Triangle, which would be a logical explanation for the disappearances. The triangle may have opposite magnetism, which could interfere with GPS equipment, causing ships and planes to crash into reefs. Another possibility is that methane hydrate bubbles cause alterations in water density, resulting in the rapid sinking of ships.

Flight 19

An example of a flight that supposedly disappeared in this area was Flight 19 of a Naval Air Force squadron. It was reported that the weather was calm that day, giving rise to suspicions. However, later the weather changed into a storm, which caused the aircraft commander to sound disoriented on the radio. This last information has led some to think the flight may not have been anywhere near the Bermuda Triangle. However, some other flights – notably the Star Tiger and the Star Ariel – have no such explanation for their disappearances. It is still unclear why the wrecks of these planes were never recovered. That the planes flew near Bermuda at the time of their last radio transmission is certain.

So, today, most agree that approximately 170 ships and planes have disappeared without a trace in the Bermuda Triangle. Other areas surrounded with mystery are the Marysburgh Vortex on lake Ontario and the Formosa Triangle near Taiwan.

Formosa

The Formosa Triangle is a five million square kilometer region in the Pacific Ocean where ships frequently disappear inexplicably. It is believed to have many similarities to the Bermuda Triangle. Formosa is located between Taiwan, Wake Island and the Gilbert Islands on the west coast of the United States.

Fortunate Isles

The Fortunate Isles, or the Isles of the Blessed, were thought to be locations where heroes of Greek mythology entered a divine paradise. The islands were supposedly located in the Atlantic Ocean, near the Canary Islands. Macaronesia may be what is left of these islands today.